THE BECK BULLETIN



Number 37 February 1, 2005

A FORTUNATE DECISION

The Trueman family of British Columbia returned from Thailand earlier than planned and their relatives are very glad they did. If they had remained in Thailand it's quite likely they would have been vacationing on a section of the coast that was hard hit by the tsunami on December 26th. They spent the previous Christmas vacation on the beach swimming in the ocean and exploring the coastal area on motor bikes and probably would have returned to the same location for the 2004 holiday, Crabbie Island and Phi Phi Island, both of which were devastated by the tsunami.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(The Trueman Family enjoying the oceanfront one year before the tsunami)

You'll remember we told you about the Trueman family in the June, 2004, Newsletter. The family, consisting of father, Cam, mother, Sandy, (1.7.2,6,6,1,) daughters, Emma, and Wynter, and son, Madison, moved to Thailand in September, 2003, when Cam went to work for a company called Magic Eye. He worked on a river barge teaching environmental cleanup to groups interested in the topic. Sandy taught the children at home in their apartment in Bangkok, and took them on excursions through the countryside to learn about life in a foreign land. They had hoped to get the children into school at a reasonable price, but the best deal they could find cost $10,000 a year for each child.
Cam had planned to spend two years with the company, but decided to come back early because of the schooling problem. Hope MacLennan, Sandy's mother, says, “We will be forever grateful that our family decided to return to Canada ahead of schedule and are safe and sound in their home in Cranbrook. B. C. Many weekends the family would leave hot Bangkok and go to the southern part and play in the ocean.”
The Truemans remained in touch with their church in Bangkok after they returned and are now receiving regular reports on relief efforts. Andrew Dircks, Vicar of Christ Church, reported that in Bangkok on December 29th there were hundreds of English-speaking people in great need, newly arrived from various places on the devastated coast. He said some were injured, others had lost immediate family members, still others were missing all their luggage, or had lost their travel documents, or were waiting in the desperate hope that missing family members would be found.
Later the church sent a team of volunteers to the coast to check on what was needed and to get an idea of how they could help. They returned with a list and set about trying to meet the need. The church volunteers have also been busy distributing donated clothing and comforting foreign tourists who are in the hospital with no one to help them.
During the time the Truemans were in Bangkok they did a lot of volunteer work for Christ Church. Now as Sandy watches from afar, she would like to be back in Bangkok helping out. In an email to her parents she said, “I really wish I was back there... particularly now.”
At present, they are both employed at a pioneer town  named - Fort Steele just a few miles from Cranbrook. Cam is the Program Director of Fort Steele, and Sandy is Coordinator of Visitors Services.

BACK ON SKATES

After a year-long layoff, Thatcher Bell (1.4.6.5,3.6,3.) is playing hockey again. He quit in January, 2004, after the pain from a back injury got so bad he couldn't sleep through the night. “I was sleeping maybe three or four hours a night, at most,” he told Matthew Wuest of the Daily News in Halifax.
After finishing his junior career with the Halifax Mooseheads in the spring of 2003, Thatcher opted for university when a pro contract failed to materialize. After looking at various offers, he chose St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B., and joined the Tommies, the university hockey team. But the Guernsey Cove native was playing in pain and only managed 7 points in 15 games. The herniated discs in his back were pinching his sciatic nerve, causing him severe leg pain.
Thatcher had surgery on August 23, 2004, and the doctor trimmed the hernias off the two ruptured discs. “It released my sciatic nerve, so it took away all my leg pain,” he said. There is still some back pain because the surgery involved cutting some of the back muscles.
He admits he probably should have had the surgery four years earlier, but he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks and was hoping for a National Hockey League contract. He felt that back surgery at the age of 18 might kill his chances. He knows his back will never be 100 per cent, but he loves hockey and knows he's still capable of playing at a pretty high level.
Thatcher wants to finish his arts degree and then take an education degree in case hockey doesn't pan out. He still hopes to play pro or European hockey. “As long as I still have a dream and still love the game, I'll go as far as I can with it.”

MONTAGUE COUNCIL SHUNS AMALGAMATION

An attempt by Councillor Rick Beck (1.11.8.3.4.1.)to revive the amalgamation issue has fallen flat. He raised the subject at a council meeting in mid-January.
“At some point someone has to realize that this town needs to either generate more revenue or expand its boundaries to maintain services,” said Councillor Beck. He introduced a resolution calling on Montague to allocate $30,000 for an independent study to explore the question of amalgamation.
“It won't be popular, “ he said, “but we need a study to determine the pros and cons.”
Mayor Richard Collins asked Councillor Beck if he would change the resolution to ask the province to conduct the study. The mayor said he was concerned about raising the amalgamation issue again, as it has been a thorny one in Montague for years.
Councillor Beck agreed to change his resolution, but when the new motion was introduced requesting that the government be pressed for an amalgamation study, there was no support. No one would second the motion and it died on the floor.

Clara Jordan (1.4.7.2,) Celebrates 90 years

By Chris Jordan

Family, friends and relatives gathered on December 28th to celebrate Clara Jordan’s 90th birthday. Approximately 60 people stopped in at the Murray River Church of Christ to give Clara best wishes. Among the well-wishers who sent greetings in the form of Certificates of Achievement were the Prime Minister and Governor General of Canada, Premier Pat Binns of PEI and Lawrence MacAulay, the Member of Parliament for Cardigan.
Clara was tickled! Clara’s great granddaughter, eight-year-old Leah Jordan, entertained the crowd with her violin while Clara’s grandson, Chris Jordan, wished her a happy birthday on behalf of the family and friends gathered in Murray River. A good time was had by all.
In lieu of gifts, two large baskets of food were collected for the Southern Kings and Queens Food Bank in Montague. Clara really appreciated the warm and heartfelt wishes offered by all.
Her birthday was actually the 27th, a day earlier, but a blizzard that struck the region that day closed everything down. On the 28th, people were still digging out, otherwise the crowd probably would have been larger.

 

A FEW DAYS IN DUBLIN

By Peter Murdoch and Janice MacPherson Murdoch (1.6A.4,6.1,1.1)

Flying over the wind-swept Irish Sea toward Dublin, the fabled greenery of The Emerald Isle was evident, even in January. Umbrellas at hand, we were ready for adventure in the lively, modern city that is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. With a population of one million, Dublin lies on the River Liffey, at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains.
The best way to see the city is to take a “Hop-On-Hop-Off” bus tour, complete with singing bus drivers who provide a humorous running commentary. Afterwards, we wandered around Dublin, enjoying the sights and drying off in different pubs!
St Patrick’s Cathedral is Ireland’s largest church, and Protestant. Founded beside a well where St Patrick baptized Christian converts around AD 450, the original wooden chapel was rebuilt in stone in 1192. The writer Jonathan Swift was Dean of St Patrick’s from 1713-1745.
Trinity College was founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I. The school provided education and inspiration to Protestant students only; it wasn’t until 1793 that Catholics were admitted. The Treasury houses several illuminated manuscripts, including the Book of Kells, and there are over 200,000 antique books in the Old Library.
Other points of interest are the General Post Office, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, Phoenix Park and the Guinness Storehouse. A trip to Ireland wouldn’t be complete without an evening of Irish music and dancing. At the Knightsbridge Bar we enjoyed a great meal and wonderful entertainment. It was a fitting end to our visit to Dublin, and we’re already making plans for a return trip!

DEATHS

BECK: Charles Alexander "Charlie" Beck (1.6B.5.2.1.) died Wednesday, December 22, 2004, at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague, P.E.I. A native of Murray Harbour, he was 85 and a veteran of the Second World War. He was predeceased by his wife, Esther MacFayden. He is survived by his son, Kenny, of Murray Harbour, and a special friend, Sylvia VanIderstine (1.4.9,2,7,). He is also survived by six sisters: Irene Livingstone, Charlottetown; Ada Herring, Murray Harbour; Ethel (Frank) Murdock, Stratford; Lila (Murray) MacKinnon, Stratford; Olga (Ernest) MacLeod of Dartmouth, N.S.; and Elsie (Reg) Johnston of Stratford. The funeral service was held at Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel in Montague on Tuesday, December 28th. Interment followed in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

BROOKS: Victor Fredrick Brooks (1.3,1,3.2.2.)of White Sands, P.E.I., died at the Kings County Memorial Hospital on January 13, 2005. He was 86. He was predeceased by his wife, Blanche (Penny) Brooks. He is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth Harper of Calgary, and a son, Robert, of White Sands, as well as a sister, Pansy Heron of Pictou, and by brothers Grant (Evelyn) of Moncton, and Bruce (Juliet) of Toronto. He was a war veteran and a veteran's service of remembrance was held in the Southern Kings and Queens Funeral Home Chapel at 1 pm on Wednesday, January 18th. The funeral service followed at 2 pm with interment in the Murray Harbour Cemetery. The service had been planned for Tuesday, the 17th, but it was it was delayed by another of the many snowstorms to hit the area this winter.

PENNY: David Cecil Penny, (1.5,4.3.2.5.) formerly of Murray Harbour, died on January 12, 2005, at the Hillsborough Hospital in Charlottetown, P.E.I. He was 54. He was the son of Cecilia (Richards) Penny and the late Cecil Penny. He is also survived by a sister, Barbara (Roddy) MacKenzie of Lower Montague, and a brother Ronald (Maretta) Penny of Charlottetown, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sisters, Kathleen MacLean and Dorothy Penny. The funeral service was held at Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel in Montague with interment later in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

PENNY: Wallace Penny (1.5,4.2B.9.) of Murray Harbour died in Riverview Manor in Montague on Friday, January 21, 2005. He was 91. He was predeceased by his wife, Bessie (LeLacheur) Penny, and a grandson Darren.
He is survived by a son, Carmon, of Lower Montague, a granddaughter, Karalee (Chris) Bowlan, and great grandchildren Kayla, Christian and C. J. He is also survived by his sisters Grace (Marvin) Herring and Vivian.
The service was held at Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, January 22, 2005, with interment later in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

BIOGRAPHY

William "Neil" Hicken was born in Peters Road on September 11, 1937. He was the only son of Laura and Bert Hicken, brother of Shirley (Murray) White, Anne (Bill) Stewart and pre-deceased by sister Lillian (Bob) Lafferty.
He received his education at Alliston School and in his early years he helped out on the family experimental farm. At an early age he left the farm for other fields of employment. At 23 he was hired as a mechanic with the Department of Highways and spent six years there before joining the Department of Public Works, working 12 years as a Stationary Engineer and Tug Master. After that he spent 9 years as an engineer with Northumberland Ferries and ended his working career as a trucker.
Neil married Mary Penny, (1.5,4.2B.5.1,) in 1959. They had five children: Alan (Linda), Stephen (Marilyn), Robbie (Brenda), Terry (Wendy), Tanya (Harold White) as well as 15 grandchildren, who were his pride and joy. Neil's love for his children and grandchildren was a big part of his life. He always enjoyed taking the kids to ball and hockey and watching their games.
His favourite pastimes were camping and going on short road trips with family and friends. He had a great sense of humour and enjoyed playing practical jokes on close friends. His garage doors were always open to neighbours and friends to repair any type of mechanical problems.
The last three years of Neil's life were devoted to a battle with cancer. Neil passed away at the Kings County Hospital on his 66th birthday, September 11, 2003. He was laid to rest in Peters Road cemetery.

BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS

Student entrepreneurs at Colonel Gray High School in Charlottetown are putting their talents to work to raise money for a Wall of Fame to honour student athletes. Trent Birt who teaches an entrepreneurship class sees the fund drive as a learning experience for his students. They came up with five money making ideas to get things going.
Jacob Beck (1.4.3B.7.3.5.2.) was the leader of a group that decided to arrange a hockey game as their project. The plan was to hold an exhibition game between the Colonel Gray team and the Charlottetown Rural team. But that fell through when Charlottetown Rural backed out at the last minute.
Jacob explained to Mary MacKay of The Guardian that the Rural cancelled when they couldn't find a teacher to oversee their participation. The project was rescued when Bluefield high school in Hampshire agreed to send their hockey team.
In addition to charging admission to the game, the plan is to sell pizza, hold a 50-50 draw and raffle off a free round of golf at the Belvedere Golf Club.
“So there are plenty of things in order for us to get money,” Jacob says.
Other projects include a halftime prize competition during an upcoming basketball tournament, a cafe at a school dance, selling eggs to throw at the school’s principal and selling votes to see which two teachers will enjoy a cross-dressed lunch in the cafeteria.
Their teacher says even setbacks are a learning experience.
“Any venture, no matter what size it is, you’re going to run into problems. . . . So all of this is out of their control, like a lot of problems in business are and they have to scramble to fix it.”

AND THE WINNER IS ...

Lester Gosbee (1.4.1,10,1A.5.) of Beach Point. Lester bought the winning ticket in a fund-raising raffle for the Kings County Boat Haulers hockey team of Souris.
His prize was a brand new All Terrain Vehicle. Lester bought the ticket from his nephew, Mike McGee, of St. Mary's Road, and the drawing took place in mid-December.
The money raised will be used to help pay the expenses of the hockey team.

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That's it for this edition .. please share it with relatives who aren't on line. The next edition will be out on April 1st.

Copyright © 2005 The Beck Bulletin